Chapter Leader Meeting at UFT Headquarters, Notes and Info, 9/27/17

Here is pertinent information from the opening meeting for chapter leaders, held at 52 Broadway on September 27th, 2017. Please note that this is just a record of what was said and does not imply agreement by the UFT Solidarity Causus, especially on the matter of the new evaluation system.

Chapter Leader Meeting

9/27/2017

President Mulgrew’s Address

Student was stabbed and killed in the Bronx today, Urban Assembly

Puerto Rico is in a disaster situation, AFT raised money for it, pleased with the response. Puerto Rican teacher’s union is helping to distribute aid, FEMA is not helping. Florida chapter helped with Irma relief as well.

SESIS arbitration is done. The first arbitration was over teachers being forced to stay late to work on the system. Second arbitration was about SESIS not being updated in a timely manner, placing an undue burden on teachers. Five minutes per week was the minimum average to receive compensation. Lump sum is coming in October, interest accrued so it will be more than last time in 2015.

Consultation: last year online system for paperwork was successful. There is now an online system to report any issue not resolved at consultation. Agendas will be forwarded to the top UFT officials and the chancellor. The schools fall into dysfunctional patterns when issues are not addressed, so we must work proactively to prevent this. Consultation is the UFT’s, not the administration’s.

Very few classes meet the exception criteria for class size grievances. Class size is the test case. This is a way to show that administration is lying about compliance with the regulations.

Everyone should have meaningful consultation, DR should know if this is not happening.

Family leave: we are negotiating with the city. We need to ensure that the benefit does not cost members more than what we get.

CTLE hours: Albany decided that all teachers need professional hours, 100 over five years. UFT has pushed for CTLE hours during the school year. Now the DOE is working with the UFT to resolve this. DOE is now a certified vendor but must keep records and show that instructors are CTLE certified. The danger is that four years from now teachers will say they did their 100 hours at school. The UFT can keep certified CTLE hours, but it would be easier if teachers can get the hours in house. Monday PD is currently not being certified. SED wants no responsibility but needs to make arrangements for their employees.

Evaluation: Race to the Top led to most states using test scores to evaluate teachers. Old S/U system went out, replaced by a growth rather than by a pass/fail model of student performance on tests. Authentic student learning is the goal for the UFT, not test scores. Ineffective ratings are lower than ever this year, “The Matrix” and student growth is working better so far.

Proposition 1 is on the back of the November ballot, but a non vote does not count as a “yes” vote.

Janus case is on the Supreme Court docket for this session. The case could turn the whole United States into a right to work nation.